The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-05-07
HUNTING THE ANISES.
A Sport Which Is Laughed at But
Requires Nerve.
a Hard Rider Tells About the Chase on
Long Island-Why the Anise-Seed
Bag Is Better Than Fox.

"People who have never tried it and
do not know what the sport is like have
made great deal of fun of what they
call chasing the anise-seed bag" said
the master of the Meadowbrook hounds
after sharp ride over Hampstead
plains. He was sturdy, athletic
young man, clad in scarlet jacket, white
brooches, riding-boots and huntin e.
cap. For two hours previous his
thoroughbred horse had been carrying
him over rail-fences and across fields
at breakneck pace, never hesitating
at jump, and keeping close to a pack
of scurrying hounds, followed by twen-
ty or thirty other horses and riders
''Itis popular impression" he con-
tinued, that this is an artificial style
of hunting; but after all it is no more
artificial than following foxes that are
bred and preserved for the sole purpose
of hunting them, as in England. More
over, there are many advantages and
things to be commended in the Ameri-
can fox-hunt. Most of the men who en-
gage in the sport are business men who
do not want to spend a whole day try
ing to find fox and then perhaps have
u poor run. They want to go out for
the afternoon and be sure of a good ride
1t is not more than twice in season
that hunt club in England will have
as good a run as we can every day.
Over there, even, they frequently trap
foxes and put them into the cover the
night before the run, and | can't see
wherein that is any improvement over
our method. They tell story of whip
who left kennel and gave a reason
that he couldn't stand the night work
1t seemed that he was out planting
foxes every night. 1t is all very well for
men who have nothing else on earth to
do to spend whole days in the field for
the sake of one or two runs in season,
but Americans will not do that Be-
sides, it is difficult to find wild foxes in
the farming districts of this country,
because the farmers exterminate them
as pests. The American farmer is not
educated up to the point of preserving
foxes that will raid his poultry yard for
the fun of seeing hounds and men on
horseback chase them through his fields.
when we want a hunt, q man goes
out an hour or two ahead of the hounds
and walks over the line selected, drag
ging behind him bag or rag soaked
with anise, which leaves a scent that
the hounds will follow. He can choose
suitable country, avoid impracticable
places and barbed-wire fences, and
make the run Just the right distance
The chances with a wild fox would be
that he would take across a bit of coun-
try where no horse could follow or be
caught in a few minutes from the start
and spoil the days sport. Another adj
vantage is that the man with the drag
can keep off the land of farmers who
object to have their rails ridden over.
Some farmers do object, and we always
respect their wishes of course. Really
we do but little damage, and we pay
ten times over for that little. We keep
out of the meadows and grain fields,
and ON ordinary land the horses can
hurt nothing. A fence rail may be
broken or knocked down once in q while,
but that is repaired or paid for the next
day, when man goes over the line for
that purpose and makes everything
right. We try to keep on good terms
with the farmers, and by paying for the
damage, treating them civilly, and max
ingfriends with them, we have succeeded
in this vicinity. But we have not got
them up to the point of breeding foxes
on their farms.
1.-THE length of run and the charac-
ter of the country over which the scent
is.laid depend upon the class of riders
expected in the field. Down here we
have three runs week during the
spring and fall seasons, and we try to
suit all the members of the club. One
day have a short run, say eight miles
or so, for those who are not hard riders,
selecting a country that is not too dan
gerous for the elderly men, and keeping
away from the worst fences. Another
day have long run, perhaps twice as
far, for the younger men who want to
ride hard and fast and take the stiffcst
fences they can find. Sometimes the
ladies ride after the hounds, and some
of them ride very well. too. but we do
not encourage them, because it is dan
gerous under the most favorable cir
cumstances.
Usually Inc meet is at the kennels
or near them, although when a large
number of riders are expected we some
times meet in the village. The master
of the hounds has charge of the hunt
and makes the arrangements for the